Gunsmithing Help!!! Broken shell casing stuck in chamber...

[FootSoldier]

I have a M2008 with a Bartlein barrel in a AICS chassis that GAP built for me. It's chambered to .308 Win and shoots waayyy good.

I have been loading 43.7 grs Varget over CCI BR-2 pimers under 155 Scenars in Lapua brass. Seems to be a great load. After 10 reload cycles I had a case separate leaving everything but the base still in the chamber.

So I bought Brownell's broken shell extractor tool and gave that a try, no go. I then followed their instructions to "open" the fingers a little more and try it again, no go. So I measured the base and unscrewed the two pieces of the tool to lengthen the it .020" and gave that a try, no go.

The ONLY other thing I can think of would be try to get a thermal difference between the brass case and stainless steel barrel. Maybe CO2 or something else?

Any suggestions?

I just can't take this to any 'smith. (too many bad experiences to put THIS rifle in the wrong hands) I guess I'd rather buy the tools and send the barrel to George's crew IF I had to, but I hope not to need to do that. I need help...

 

[phideaux]

Re: Help!!! Broken shell casing stuck in chamber...

take a can of Dust-Off( any of the canned air for PC dusting) and invert it and spray into the chamber for about 5-10 seconds. it's usually plenty cold enough to pop one out. or there's always threading a tap into the case a bit and pop it out with a cleaning rod.

 

[NukeMMC]

Re: Help!!! Broken shell casing stuck in chamber...

Try pouring ice water (without the ice, of course) down the barrel until the whole barreled receiver is cold. Brass' coefficient of volumetric thermal expansion is slightly higher (57 vs. 52) than stainless, so this may give you just enough to use the broken case extractor successfully.

 

[FootSoldier]

Re: Help!!! Broken shell casing stuck in chamber...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: phideaux</div><div class="ubbcode-body">take a can of Dust-Off( any of the canned air for PC dusting) and invert it and spray into the chamber for about 5-10 seconds. </div></div>

I was really hoping this would do it. I sprayed for 20 seconds and dropped the extractor toll in and closed the bolt. No go again. Just keep pulling the extractor out leaving the brass behind. Damn!

 

[phideaux]

Re: Help!!! Broken shell casing stuck in chamber...

or....get a piece of aluminum rod and bend a short hook in the end and reach in and jerk it out. threading a tap in the end of the case is quick and simple though

 

[300sniper]

Re: Help!!! Broken shell casing stuck in chamber...

before i spent a bunch of money on tools, i'd take a .45 bronze brush on a short rod and jam it into the neck of the case (from the breech end) and then pull back. the bristles on the brush act like barbs and grip the case. it pulls on the case without expanding it. maybe it will work, maybe it wont but it won't cost anything.

 

[FootSoldier]

Re: Help!!! Broken shell casing stuck in chamber...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 300sniper</div><div class="ubbcode-body">before i spent a bunch of money on tools, i'd take a .45 bronze brush on a short rod and jam it into the neck of the case (from the breech end) and then pull back. </div></div>

I tried this one too, no luck.

 

[Shady_Jay]

Re: Help!!! Broken shell casing stuck in chamber...

well, guess you're fucked

 

[doc76251]

Re: Help!!! Broken shell casing stuck in chamber...

Cut the bottom off another case and go down to wherever in your area sells tapered threading taps. Buy the one that will thread the inside of the case. Go home attach to a socket wrench & extension and thread the inside of the stuck case, use what ever cutting oil makes you happy. Once you get a good 1/2" of threading, place the rifle muzzle up and take your cleaning rod and drop it down the tube. If it doesn't come out in the first 3 drops, do the freeze thing with whatever will get both the tube and the case cold and repeat the drop.

The problem with stuck case extractors in a tight chamber is that they have to expand the brass to be effective. If there is no place to expand to they just get it stuck harder. By threading you CUT the material (brass) and give yourself a bunch of gripping surfaces (threads). It may come out in the threading process.

Cheers,

Doc

 

[FootSoldier]

Re: Help!!! Broken shell casing stuck in chamber...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Captain Kick-Ass</div><div class="ubbcode-body">well, guess you're fucked </div></div>

Not quite.

Doc,
I got it out with an easy-out threaded into the case. Just enough torque to break it loose and popped it out with a 1/4" hardwood dowel.

Thanks to those who tried to help. I appreciate it!

 

[Shady_Jay]

Re: Help!!! Broken shell casing stuck in chamber...

Bravo!

 

[doc76251]

Re: Help!!! Broken shell casing stuck in chamber...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: FootSoldier</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Doc,
I got it out with an easy-out threaded into the case. Just enough torque to break it loose and popped it out with a 1/4" hardwood dowel.

Thanks to those who tried to help. I appreciate it!
</div></div>

That works too!

Cheers,

Doc